Auditions

Do you have what it takes?

TBA will be hosting auditions this September to complete their 2017-2018 lineup. We are looking for musically talented individuals who love to sing and are eager to perform. While TBA is a collegiate a cappella group based at the University of Toronto, non-U of T affiliates are welcome and encouraged to audition.

Prepare a one minute solo that will be sung a cappella at your audition. Sing something that will show off your musicality, vocal range, and individual style. Bring it.

Auditions will be held on the following dates:

Friday, September 8
Saturday, September 9
Sunday, September 10

If these days don’t work for you – don’t worry! Send us an email and we’ll try and work something out.

Signup for an Audition!

Audition signups have now closed. Thank you for your interest!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I join TBA?

To join TBA, you must audition for a spot in September. All are welcome and encouraged to audition, whether or not you’re affiliated with the University of Toronto.

Scroll up to register for an audition now!

What is the time commitment like?

We rehearse at least twice a week for approximately 2 hours each rehearsal. Rehearsals take place on Sunday and Wednesday nights. (If you can’t make these times, please audition anyways! We may be able to work something out!) Extra rehearsals are added during times before an upcoming event.

In regards to performances, we have several opportunities throughout the year, including a concert at the end of each semester.

In certain years, TBA chooses to compete in the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCAs) in the US. Competition season lasts from February to April. In preparation for the ICCAs, commitment increases to create an iconic and award-winning 12 minute set. In TBA’s first five years of competition, we’ve been fortunate enough to place in each Quarterfinal, including four-straight Semifinal berths!

Though this may seem like a lot, many of our members are also a part of other clubs and organizations across campus! If you ask any one of them, you can be certain that the rewards of being in TBA are worth the commitment.

How do auditions work?

Auditions can be broken down to a two-step process:

Open Auditions: This audition is a 10-minute slot where we assess vocal range, blending technique, and your solo voice. We’ll get you to sing some scales and our warm-ups, followed by a short 4-bar phrase from one of our charts. At the end, we ask you to sing your prepared solo.

Callbacks: We invite a small handful of auditionees to learn a much longer section of one of our charts. This chart will assess you on many musical aspects, such as: vocal quality, rhythmic ability, intonation, and blending. It will also show us how well you can learn your parts on your own, given the appropriate resources.

This may all sound intimidating at first, but take it from people who have gone through the entire process: it’s not that scary and it’s actually a lot of fun!

What if I'm a vocal percussionist or beatboxer?

If you’re auditioning as a vocal percussionist or a beatboxer, you will still be tested on your vocal quality and range along with the other auditionees. The only difference is that there won’t be as much of an emphasis on that part of the audition.

You will also be asked to do some basic beat-back of simple rhythms, along with a one-minute freestyle of your choice. If time permits, we’d also like to hear what you can add to one of our charts in terms of sounds and beats.

What am I supposed to prepare for my audition?

You are required to prepare a short, one-minute solo that shows off your musicality, vocal range, and individual style.

If you are auditioning as a vocal percussionist, prepare a short one-minute set displaying all of your sounds and techniques.

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